Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-05-19
SANTA ANAS rRIENn.
He Was an American Patriot, and He Render
ed a Great Service to His Country
San Francisco Call

or hamlet what may be termed noted
character, noted for some peculiar craze
| or eccentIicity. Stockton in 1858 was not
exempt from this individual. His name
was William Walls, but for short was
always called Billy Billy was the prince
of romancers, He was the most consum-
mate liar | ever knew. He could take the
most sickly, tritling little lie and build it
build IL until it lowered like noun
tain and besides he was always the hero
of his own stories. ] must here digress
/ little in order to make the reader better
acquainted with the subject of my sketch.
1t was a custom of the country at that
time (ls55l to always fire gun on the
! departure of citizen TO the Atlantic
states Billy was custodian of the city
cannon, and always loaded aud fired it
on such occasions. His fee for one gun
was $50, for two guns $40, but If the man
wanted particularly good send-on say
three guns-the price was ffty.dollar
slug, So as week seldom passed with
out someone going homc,n Il was good
thing for Billy, besides it kept ny his
pride and military spirit. He was the
big Injun" in the noble science of arr
tiltery,
Meeting him on day he said TO me:
"Mr b., | want to give you n little of my
experience in the Mexican war. Billy
claimed to have had personal acquaint-
ance with Santa Ana, the Mexican gener.
al. They had known each other previous
to the war. In fact, they were friends
bosom friends. Not the summer-day
| friends of nowaday, but like the tabled
Damon and Pythias- friends who we're
| nil f,,.v -, To. H.. l.
other. So, seating ourselves upon
neighboring pile of lumber, I said:
| well Billy proceed; | will listen.'
| 1T was just after the battle OF Buena
Vista he began, "a large force OF the
American army of which l was one) had
| fallen back some fifty miles from the
battle ground to head off reinforoements
to the Mexican general 1t was a beauti-
full moonlight night, and | shall never
! forget how unlike was the moon TO my
self-it was full, while | had not a single
drop in my oanteen. But this is n digres-
sion. Although quite severely wounded,
| was doing picket duty on that memoir
able night My beat lay straight across
the great latioual road through Mexico,
and the nearest sentry to me on either
side was at least three -fourths of mile
A true soldier however, knows no fear
IL was my habit, too, when doing any
duty, always to commune with myself
IL relieved the dull monotony of continu-
al pacing back and forth. Besides, the
splendor of the niget melted thought.
r. r,.s~st ewing the terrible scenes OF
two days before, and just as ] was calling
up the uncertainties of war, pomp, the
glory, and majesty of the world. and the
insignihcance of the whole Mexican race
l heard the low rumble of an approach
ing train. II is singular fact, that in
the pure, clear atmosphere of Mexico,
and on a still night train of wagons
can be heard when fifteen miles away.
IL is peculiar sound-a metallic ring
in the box or hub of she wheels. Gradu-
ally the sound increased, but IL was two
hours at least before the train came up.
II consisted of, FIRST, closed carriage,
drawn by richly .caparisoned horses, and
surrounded on all sides by mounted
body guard followed by sundry other
carriages and an endless string of wagons.
In the first carriage was whom do you
suppose, Mr.. b.? 1t was Santa Ana, the
Mexican general. | waited until the
head of the train was within one hundred
itel " uits Ntlou i gave A4Ah NhllulhhA "
halt. The whole train instantly came to
a standstill, Immediately a head ap-
peared from out the FIRST cGrriage. IL
was that Of the general, He had heard
my command and instantly knew my
voice, Notwithstanding a lapse of fifteen
years had taken place His Grst eXclapa
ton was: Hello! Billy; ia that your ]
answered Yes, Santa; il ia me-, for
was not behind him in instant recoeni-
ton. well, Billy said he, there is no
use Disgusting anything from yon, We
are whipped. The Americans have clean
ed US out and We are fleeing for our lives.
Now, on the score of old acquaintance,
on the score of more than fifteen years
friendship, implore you 60 let us pass.
Placing my musket more firmly to my
breast, answered NO, Santa, can not
do it--you ask too much
"FOr a moment he seemed paralyzed;
then, taking heart, he again pleadedg
"'Comrade Billy, you have mother
you have sister For the sake of that
mother, for the love of that ssinted sister
Martha, do not desert me nov. Farm
your eyes and look at that pondsrous
wagon with the twelve mules attached.
II contains $4,000 silver dollars, Let
us pass, and it is yours wagon, mules,
harness and all,
Brushing away tear and looking him
squarely in the eye, / said.
600 you see that proud emblem Of
liberty floating from yonder towering.
STAFF"
"'Yes; sec It,, said he.
"'Weli, Santa, said that is the Ameri-
can flag, and I can't disgrace it,
A considerable silence ensned. Look
ing around, saw his chin had fallen mp
on his bosom overcome by his own feel
ings. Giving him gentle Jog | asked
"Well, what became Of the Mexicans?
What did they do theng"
His answer came quick and sharp:
"What did they dor Why they instant
ly turned round and went back" g
The Engineers story.
at WAS when | was running on the